UPDATE: Arhaus Furniture plans Texas stores in Houston, Austin

HOUSTON — Arhaus Furniture will open its first two Texas stores here and in Austin early next year as it continues an aggressive expansion strategy into new and existing markets.

The Walton Hills, Ohio-based company confirmed that it will lease a 19,000-square-foot space in the Centre at Post Oak, across the street from Houston's Galleria mall, and said an Austin, Texas, store also will be coming next spring, in The Domain shopping mall.

Among the architectural touches the retailer is planning in Houston are skylights, a river rock fireplace and oak and stone flooring, according to a report by the Houston Chronicle.

"Our build-out is like no other in the industry," Arhaus CEO John Reed told the newspaper. "We invest a great deal of time creating an environment that not only appeals to the shopper, but maintains our trademark look and feel."

With an Austin store also in the works, Arhaus Chief Financial Officer Greg Teed told Furniture/Today the retailer "will be utilizing a hub" strategy, but with all product still coming from its 300,000-square-foot distribution center in Ohio.

He would not disclose the company's investment or projected sales, but said, "We expect (Houston) to be one of our strongest stores. We think it's a great market for us. Our product fits really well with the customer."

The 40-store upper-midpriced to high-end retailer of primarily exclusive home furnishings is opening four stores this year - its first North Carolina location in Raleigh, which opened in March; a second New Jersey store in Hackensack opening in September; and stores in Edina, Minn., in the Minneapolis area and in King of Prussia, Pa., in the Philadelphia area, both of which are slated to open in October.

Arhaus is No. 40 on Furniture/Today's Top 100 with estimated sales of $165 million at 39 stores last year, up from $130 million the year before at 36 stores.

Please feel free to email or call me with all of your retail news and tips, including expansion news, successful merchandising and marketing strategies and anything else you would like to see covered by Furniture/Today. Contact me directly at cengel@furnituretoday.com or 336-605-1129.

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